Life moves on

Things have changed over the last year. I was depressed after losing Honey so took the plunge and adopted Emma. She is another Retired Greyhound Trust dog. Five years old when I got her 14th December 2014.
She quickly settled in and got down to training us as her slaves very quickly. She is highly intelligent, confident and quick to learn.
Once we had got her settled in I adopted Darcy to be her companion. He was 2 yrs old and very green. He had known nowhere but racing kennels and had had very little socialisation with other dogs. He knew no other breeds and taking him for walks was a huge learning curve for him and us. He was scared of the outside world and everything in it and I made the mistake of trying too much too soon with him. We started to get some fear-aggression behaviour which steadily got worse.
It was hard to give him the experiences he needed without him being afraid so I called in professional help and now we are making progress.
I adore my dogs.

Emma has the pink collar and Darcy the blue. Their relationship is not as good as I'd hoped for and Emma is not impressed by him. She tells him off at times.
But that is something else we are working on.
Look out for more posts from time to time on here now... and not just about the dogs.

Seasons greetings and blessings to you.

Goodbye Honey

It is with a heavy heart I report the loss of my darling Honey on Friday 14th November 2014.

She became ill with rapidly increasing pain in just a few hours and ending her suffering was urgent. It was peaceful at the end. I held her until she left us.

Honey has been my companion and shadow for over seven years and brought me a lot of laughter and love, and a few tears.

I have many happy memories of her, from sleeping on her bed in the middle of the lounge, to her running free on the beach and at the park.

    

 

You will always live in my heart sweet Honey. xxx

Where did 2014 go?

I know it's been some time since I posted but it came as a shock to find it was last January!
Nine months have passed with not a lot to show for it apart from a paler shade of silver in my hair!
Being 65 hasn't been too upsetting - it's now downhill to 70 :D
My greyhound Honey is aging fast now and showing signs of arthritis in her back right knee. I have got her a magnetic collar and it has perked her up a bit and helped her move more freely, but I think the time has come for some medication to help ease the joints.
Honey was very happy to go and stay with my friend Karen while I went away for a few folk festival weekends and I know Karen loved having her to stay.

I managed a week away in April with my friend Linda - another week on the Isle of Wight in the lovely cottage we stayed at before. The dogs loved it there too. They ran all over the field out the back of the cottage. Nice peaceful evenings when they were tired :)

I managed a few Folk Festivals over the summer, with Wimborne, Folk on the Quay in Poole, Cropredy, Shrewsbury and Swanage.

Folk on the Quay, Poole

Cropredy

Shrewsbury

Wimborne FF

I recently managed to meet up with my sisters for a nice pub lunch. We're all getting older! But it was a nice meal and my lovely son, James came with us too/

A New Year - a new me?

OK I know it's late but at least it's still January. A new me? Well, I'm not one for resolutions. The last one I made is the only one I've kept. I resolved never to make New Year Resolutions again!
I am making valiant attempts to be more active and get my body back to some semblance of it's former glory *cough*. My weight has been up and down a pound on and off for weeks, basically staying the same for the last 3 months. I must get my mind back into Slimming World mode and make those pounds fade away. I have heard in so many places how bad wheat products are for us. Never mind that 'wholegrain is healthy' stuff they throw at us. Basically wheat products, particularly bread, help make/keep us fat and age us. So why does a slice of hot buttered toast taste so darn good? I try to limit myself to one slice of bread a day, but that is hard. Not just the standby sliced loaf, but rolls, croissants, wraps, pittas, etc. all come loaded with taste, but bad elements that raise sugar levels in diabetes, cause fat to be deposited and retained, affect the elasticity of the skin, and more. If you don't believe me just stop eating bread and bread type products for a week and eat normally otherwise. I bet you'd lose about 2 lbs in a week. It sounds easy doesn't it? Just think though, no more egg on toast, limited cereals, no sandwiches, what do you have for a packed lunch? Most crispbreads are also ruled out. No biscuits, sweet or savoury. No pastry. No cakes.... It starts getting tough. There are other carbohydrate sources, which you do need in a healthy balanced eating plan. Just kick the bread.

This is the healthy eating 'plate'. Follow its guidelines and you will probably lose a bit of weight and feel better in yourself. It is a guide to how meals should be balanced out for good health. Keep the purple high fat/high sugar section to an absolute minimum and watch what kind of carbohydrates (yellow bit) you eat.
Portion sizes also come into play. Just eating slightly less will help a lot. My tip? Use a smaller plate! I have some small dinner plates designed for breakfast/starters. Bigger than a bread plate but about an inch smaller than a traditional dinner plate. The meal that looks 'lost' on a big plate suddenly looks a lot, or serve up in a small bowl (a good tip for pasta dishes, curries etc).
OK stop preaching, Kathy. Just follow your own advice, woman, and get those pounds moving again.

The exercise plan is going well. I now have floor exercises added to my programme and I can do those at home too. There is just one dodgy exercise I can't really do as I can't kneel any more. But I am working on those abs!
I am becoming a mistress of putting on a brave/happy face. I know this time of year is bad for depressives and I am trying to not feel 'down' but I do. I've had some happy times of late and have my birthday tomorrow so I should be feeling 'up' and alive. Maybe it's the damp and lack of sunshine, but I am in a 'curl up in a duvet and shut the world out' state of mind. Or else it's facing being 65 tomorrow! I do NOT feel like celebrating. Even Honey can sense how I feel because she barely left my side yesterday, lying by my feet or standing over me when I sat down, demanding cuddles.
Maybe it's time to count my blessings? There are many people out there in a much worse state than me, and suffering terrible circumstances, lack of money, flooded homes, terminal illness, pain, disabilities, but that doesn't really help.  I know the mood WILL lift. Just not yet today.
I have the joys of a visit to the dental hygienist today.
Thursday I have my 6 month post op check up. It's only been 11 1/2 months LOL. There's the appointment time in bold printing, and underneath a little message saying come an hour earlier to get an x-ray done before the appointment time. I wonder how many people don't read that bit?  At least it should all be done and dusted well before the now daily clog up in the Bournemouth Hospital car parks come the rush hour. Traffic lights controlling the exit of vehicles off the site reduce the flow and cause utter chaos as the access roads fill up. My daughter's office overlooks the hospital entrance/exit and can see the red brake lights queueing up all round the car parks.
Poole Hospital car park has similar problems with lack of spaces and long queues waiting to get into the multi-story building. Getting out is not so much of a problem. I dread afternoon appointments for clinics as it's visiting time too and the whole world is trying to park in there. Mornings are tolerable.

I have now got some of my bad mood out of my system by typing all this. I don't care if no-one reads it. Maybe it will help you overcome your own winter Monday morning blues by realising you're not the only one suffering or maybe I've just made it worse! Time for another coffee I think! Good job I don't have any biscuits in the house - I think it would have been a half-packet morning!
Still, tomorrow is another day.
Thank goodness.

Hello, December

I saw this picture on FB and decided it made a good title. Today is the first day of Advent. Am I religious? No, not really. Do I believe in 'God'? Not in the way he's generally taught about. I am more of the Pagan persuasion, although I have an inbuilt dislike of formalised, institutionalised religions of any form, even Paganism.
What do I believe? I feel the 'force' - don't you dare laugh - this serious! Not the Jedi variety, just the power and relentlessness of nature, the natural 'energy' within every living thing, even inert things. Have you ever picked up a pebble on a beach and REALLY looked at it? Once it was a rough lump of rock, crumbled from a larger mass of rock, and worn smooth by the passage of time and the relentless energy of the weather and water. It has been transformed and still contains the energy used to shape it. Before it became a rock it could well have been a plant or an animal, transformed over millions of years of pressure into a solid mass.
Take a look at a living plant, any plant. Watch the stems move towards the light, see how the water is taken up by the plant, used to help it grow, then expired through the leaves. What drives a plant to suddenly produce buds then flowers? So many plants then fade away, exhausted by their efforts, dying back to rest and recuperate before springing to life again, or being reborn in the form of its seeds making new plants. The same cycles occur in animals, insects, birds, and fish. Is this all influenced by God? Or 'Mother Nature'?

I have had an abiding interest in science all my life, the patterns of mathematics, the rhythms of life. I cannot see an omni-present being causing all this. I think 'life' is rather like fractals and self perpetuating.
When we mere humans pass on to the next phase in our cycle, I think our energy or soul, passes on too, to be absorbed by the environment, either feeding the soil and worms once the bacteria, moulds and funghi have done their work, or adding warmth to the air and ashes to the soil or sea.
How many of you 'feel' a loved one near you long after they have passed away? I felt comforted after losing Peter because on occasions I could feel a warmth around me, like an invisible blanket or soft hug. It felt like he was there again with me, checking up on me. I have often felt the presence of long dead pet dogs too. Their spirit/soul/energy hangs around long after the body has gone.

So believe what you like about Christmas, Yule Tide etc. Just take the turning of the year as part of life's cycle. Take time to celebrate what has passed in the last year. Show your loved ones how much you love them by telling them and hugging them when you can. Share your love. You don't need presents to share love with each other. If you have the chance, share your good feelings with those who may have no family or friends. Not everyone has someone to care about or care for them. This time of year can be difficult for them.
This year many families will be feeling the pinch financially, and those glossy TV advertisements for the latest fashion on clothes, furniture or electronic gadgets where you can please your loved one with a useless 'thing' for 'ONLY £150', make us all feel inadequate when we shop for a token of love for a fiver, or less. For some it is a choice between having some heat or some food to survive, rather than wasting money on unwanted presents. If you are lucky enough to receive gifts at Christmas, appreciate the thought that has gone into their selection. If you don't want a present then say so well before the day, or agree a charity donation so the money is put to good use rather than wasted.
Whatever your religious beliefs or faith, may you find happiness and love in the coming weeks, and share those feelings with those around you.  xxx


PS if you've made it this far then well done and please forgive my over indulgent musings.
I just hate the way organised religions cause so much conflict in the world. What's wrong with respecting and caring about other people? Let them believe in whatever god they want even if it's not your belief. Who is to decide who's right and who's not? Just live, love and help each other.

Is being a hippie a religion?

No Warmth, No Snow, No Holidays, No Parties, No Cakes, No Biscuits, No Crisps, No Peace from Fireworks... November

Welcome to my Blog. Another exciting glimpse into my world of routine, boredom, and just living. 

I have had a riveting time recently with the six monthly diabetic check up and annual diabetic eye test. The six month check up was fine, all body parts functioning as they should, HbA1c in the lower end of the normal range so all's looking good. As usual my BP was up a bit so got referred to my GP. He arranged a 24 hour monitor for me for about the 6th time. This pumps up automatically during the day and roughly every 1-2 hours during the night. I saw him for the results and all is fine. The average day time pressure was top end of permitted range, and the night time average was bang on what it should be. He compared the results to my last 2 tests and said they were better than previously so losing weight and being more active has helped. The decision was no meds at the moment but maybe necessary at some time in the future. A fact of getting old.

My annual eye test was fine. No change to either prescription, so no new specs needed, however my old every day distance specs were getting very worn and a bit bent, thanks to falling on my face back in August and having to bend them back into shape *cough*. I now have pretty new specs (see photo above) in a lilac-pink shade, with added diamante/crystals at the hinges. Move over Dame Edna Everage!

As part of my getting myself sorted out, I finally went to the dentist. I admit it has been around 15 years since I last went. I had to see the hygienist first and had a good old scrape and polish. I was expecting a long list of jobs to be done but just 2 teeth needed attention. One had lost a chunk off it and the filling fell out as a result. As it gave me no trouble I left it and gradually a few more bits broke off. The tooth was too far gone to save so the dentist removed what was left of it. That was all fine. The other tooth had an ageing filling that he decided could be refilled. After the visit to the hygienist I was cleaning my teeth with extra attention and flossing more according to instructions. I was in a hurry one day and flossed a bit to quickly, snagging the floss on the ageing filling and yanking it out! As I already had an appointment to see the dentist about 10 days later I did nothing. However 2 days on I started getting pain in the gum above the tooth. Oh yes - an abscess! So off to see the dentist I went. He bunged in a temporary filling and prescribed anti-biotics. I came back a week later and had the other tooth removed just fine, and the temp filling was holding. However, that weekend the abscess returned :( my whole cheek swelled up and my lip went numb. So back for more ABs - a double lot this time, two different ABs. I came back 3 days later to have the tooth filled properly, with a root canal filling! Took him quite a time drilling it all out and packing it, then final finishing filling. He's done a good job and it all seems fine now. I have just taken my last dose of ABs and I am not convinced the abscess is all gone. Will see if it flares up again - I hope not.

A little while ago Honey also had dental work done with some extractions and cleaning up. She lost some weight during the time prior to the treatment and after when her gums were tender, but she has got her appetite back now and her weight is now where I am happy about it, just over 27 kg. She is getting old, and, like a lot of old dogs, she feels and looks a bit bony, but her ribs are well covered and not sticking out so she is fine, even if her spine is a bit prominent. She is full of beans at the moment and enjoying her walks, having a good run around most days, although it's fleece coat time now! I am using her lovely blue Equafleece coat as a pattern to make her some house coats to keep her warm during cold nights. I bought a huge cherry red fleece throw from ASDA for the princely sum of £3 and it should be big enough to make 2 or maybe 3 coats for her.

It's a thin light weight fleece - ideal for indoors. She hates being covered over with a blanket or duvet, so a coat on her body with her legs free and unfettered should keep her comfy and yet warmer.
She certainly needs her Equafleece now with air temperatures in single figures. It's stretchy yet light and keeps her really warm. Most other sight hounds I know love to snuggle under duvets and throws, but Honey doesn't.

I am trying desperately to get myself into a Christmassy mood but failing. Got a few good concerts coming up before the day so that might help. Also got some things to look forward to in the New Year. As a combined Christmas and birthday treat, Jenny has booked tickets to see 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' stage show at the Pavilion. I am really looking forward to it. It's been one of my lifetime favourite musicals. Love the movie of it, complete with painted mountain back drops and wobbly sets! No outside locations or CGI used in that production! The days when women had tiny waists and men were MEN. 

My friends are away for the whole Christmas week and were worried about their dog. She is fox coloured and fox size, and as quick and slippery as a fox. Leave a door open a crack and she is off and away and won't come back when called until she's had a good scamper round the neighbours' gardens.

They are spending the week in a huge house on Dartmoor with all their children and grandchildren, along with 3 other dogs. John is so worried Polly will escape and vanish on the moor he has asked me to have her for the week. I will not let her off the lead when outside for fear of her running off. She will get walked with Honey and be fed and spoiled rotten, so maybe it's not so bad for her. It means John and Roz can relax and not worry about the grandchildren leaving a door open long enough for her to escape.

As you can see Honey and Polly are the best of friends LOL Honey tends to turn her back on visiting dogs and pretend they are not there. She tolerates having her home invaded, and is so happy when the visitor departs :)

Financially it's been a disastrous month, a load of big bills all arriving in the same month. Honey's dental work, my car having an emergency trip to garage, Jen's car needing a service , new tyres, and new brake pads, my new specs, my dentistry, and the need to get some new speakers for the folk club *sigh* My Barlcaycard will not be cleared this month as it  usually is. The balance due this month is more than my pension coming in. However, with careful spending for Christmas I should be able to clear it next month, or certainly January. It's going to be a lean Christmas!

The only good thing this month is that I managed to switch my utility bills and fix them until April 2015 at the old rate, before the price hikes. I wish I could 'fix' my credit card too LOL.

I do hope you manage to enjoy the festive season in your own way, with those you love and who love you. 

Warm thoughts and hugs to all my friends. Be as merry as you can, and thank heavens it's only once a year!

xxx

Times of Woe and Joy

How the weeks rush by. Where did summer go? There is a definite autumnal feel to the air and the evenings are drawing in. Some areas have already felt the first frosts of winter, but here on the south coast, the last vestiges of warmer temperatures are hanging on,  19°-20° C feels quite pleasant. However we are moving into the less predictable pattern of weather that heralds showers heading our way in bands. Let's hope the jet stream keeps them more to the north!

Once Swanage Folk Festival was out of the way, I was looking forward to my holiday on the Isle of Wight with my blind friend Linda. We had a cottage booked on a farm, the same one we went to last year. It is a very dog friendly place and ideal for my greyhound Honey, and Linda's guide dog, Yarna, to relax and have fun running in the fields adjoining the cottages. But ... (you knew that was coming didn't you?) a week before we were due to go away, I got a phone call from Linda about 9pm on the Saturday night to ask me to take her to hospital for the out of hours doctor's surgery. I picked her up and dashed to the hospital. She had considerable stomach pains and kept having hot flushes and shaking uncontrollably when the flushes came. The nice Indian doctor examined her, asked loads of questions, made copious notes, then said she could go home. The only treatment he gave her was an injection to stop her feeling nauseous. He knew she had no-one at home to care for her if she became worse. He told her to come back to A&E the next day if she didn't feel any better along with the page of notes he'd made. We made our way out through A&E as this is the only night-time entrance/exit as a taxi driver arrived calling the name Singh. I looked at the notes and the doctor's name was Singh and I told the taxi driver this. At that moment our doctor came bustling out, divng into the taxi in a hurry. He must have booked him earlier and did not want to be delayed by having to admit Linda to hospital then and there!
Lind was no worse and not really any better the next day although she was not having the same hot flushes and shakes. Suspecting it might be something to do with her diabetes as her sugar levels were up, she called the diabetic nurse Monday morning, who recommended she saw her GP. Linda made an appointment to see her GP on the Wednesday afternoon. This was the Wednesday before the Saturday we were due to go away!
To cut a long story short, her GP phoned the hospital and booked her in for immediate admittance! I took her in and she was admitted that evening. They said she needed a scan to help diagnose her problems and had booked her to have one. She sat there in a nice room of her own waiting for a scan for a whole week! They then sent her home saying they'd book her in for a scan as an outpatient! By this time we were too late to bother going away at all.
When Linda was admitted I contacted our holiday hosts to let them know the situation, and the young lady who runs the cottages has agreed to hold the money to pay for another week another time! How wonderful is that?
So if anyone wants a good, high quality, self-catering holiday on the IOW try here 
http://www.littlepidfordfarmcottages.co.uk/ 
These pics are from our last holiday there. The website has more pics of the empty cottages.

 




So we are now looking to staying there early April now *sigh*.
Linda is still awaiting her scan. Although the pains have subsided somewhat, they have not gone. I hope they sort her out soon.
While Linda was in the hospital, I had Yarna to stay. She was a delightful guest, although Honey was not too keen at having to share my affection.

Yarna was very well behaved during her visit, once she'd checked out everywhere for anything edible, including all the bins! She and Honey played together out on walks, having lovely runs.

As a 'thank you' for my help, Linda treated me to a show at Poole's Lighthouse arts centre with PAM AYRES my poetic heroine. That was last night and absolutely brilliant!

What a lovely lady Pam is. She did two 1-hour sets, THEN sat for nearly 2 hours signing books and chatting with her fans. I don't know about her but I was exhausted! :)

 It was Honey's 10th birthday yesterday and she celebrated by catching the back of her bad front leg, with her toenail on the back paw, while running around. This is a common problem with greyhounds  when they run flat out. It bled quite a bit but looks a lot better today, although she is limping a little. I shall watch it for any sign of swelling or infection and take her to the vet if need be.

She looks lovely in her birthday present of a beautiful tassel trim on her collar. What do you think?